$3.9m plant to dispose of Kenya crude oil waste

An oil rig in Kenya’s Turkana County. The facility will enhance safety by increasing waste handling capacity without compromising environment and public health. PHOTO FILE | NATION 

In Summary

• The waste treatment and transfer station, to be built at Kanipetain in Turkana County in the north, will convert green waste to compost and recycle plastics, glass and other items.
• ECCL lead environment expert Adnan Khalid said the facility at Kanipetain will enhance safety by increasing Turkana County’s waste handling capacity without compromising environment and public health.
• The company’s incinerator on 50 acres of land handles 160 tonnes of hazardous waste daily.

By KENNEDY SENELWA
More by this Author

Kenya's National Environment Management Authority has approved the construction of a $3.9 million facility to safely dispose of waste material from crude oil exploration.

The waste treatment and transfer station, to be built at Kanipetain in Turkana County in the north, will convert green waste to compost and recycle plastics, glass and other items. It will be run by Northern Waste Management Services Ltd.

The waste management company, a subsidiary of Environmental and Combustion Consultants Ltd (ECCL), will handle hazardous waste generated in exploration of crude oil in South Lokichar basin and planned commercial production of fossil fuel.

The licence was granted following the approval of an environmental impact assessment study report prepared by Environ Consulting Ltd.

ECCL lead environment expert Adnan Khalid said the facility at Kanipetain will enhance safety by increasing Turkana County’s waste handling capacity without compromising environment and public health.

“Waste will be transported using trucks. The site is designed for reception and sorting of hazardous waste. All recyclable materials will be moved to a yard for storage depending on their nature and target re-users,” he said.

After sorting, waste material that is not recyclable will be moved in special containers by licensed transporters to Stony Athi near Nairobi.

ECCL’s incinerator on 50 acres of land handles 160 tonnes of hazardous waste daily.

Northern Waste follows in the footsteps of EnviroServ Waste Management Uganda Ltd, which is licensed to run a $20 million waste management facility in Hoima to serve the Albertine basin exploration areas in western Uganda, where 6.5 billion barrels of crude oil have been formed.

The facility has 100 acres of land of but only about 25 per cent has been used. It provides auxiliary services, has a waste water treatment plant, laboratory and a hazardous waste landfill.

ALSO READ: Tullow sets 2017 for Kenya’s crude oil output